Mission

• To aid in plant identification and landscape maintenance courses offered through the horticulture programs on campus.
• To provide the public with not only a pleasant place to take a walk, but also a living classroom, where students and visitors can identify the flowers and shrubs that make up our NW Florida landscape.
• To provide area nurseries and the landscaping industry with a "no risk" trial where they can see what's new and well suited to Northwest Florida.

History

The Milton Gardens are located within a 3-acre area of the campus that was cleared in 1995 for the construction of greenhouse, shade house and nursery production facilities for the University of Florida teaching program. After the construction of permanent facilities, the first plant production classes and the Master Gardeners from Santa Rosa and Escambia Counties contributed countless hours to plant and maintain the nearly 2 acres of trial and demonstration gardens as designed by Dr. Richard K. Schoellhorn and Dr. Mack Thetford. The facility has since become a destination within Northwest Florida and a very popular location for many garden clubs, horticulture study groups, homeowners, visiting scientists and school classes to visit, study or photograph.

UF/PJC Staff Coordinator of the Milton Gardens Dr. Mack Thetford thetford@ifas.ufl.edu (850) 983-5216 ext.122 Assistant Coordinator of the Milton Gardens Dr. James Gibson jlgibson@ifas.ufl.edu (850) 983-5216 ext.103 PJC Liaison Ms. Amy Compton mailto:acompton@pjc.edu (850) 484-4433 Senior Lab Technician Barry Ballard boballard@ifas.ufl.edu (850) 983-5216 ext.117   Senior Lab Technician Jude Groninger judegron@ifas.ufl.edu (850) 983-5216 ext.127 Horticulture Facilities Manager Bruce Furlow BMFurlow@ufl.edu (850) 983-5216 ext.123

Location & Directions

The Milton Gardens , a combination of teaching, research and display gardens are a part of the Milton Campus of the University of Florida (UF) and Pensacola Junior College (PJC), a joint use facility located 18 miles northeast of Pensacola in Santa Rosa County , Florida .

maps and directions

Garden Care

The Santa Rosa County Master Gardeners maintain most of the gardens. To date they have contributed 1400 hours to planting, weeding and maintaining the gardens.

Pensacola Junior College - Milton campus grounds staff.

The Milton Campus has long been known for it's beautiful landscaping. Larry Brook and his crew maintain the entire campus and parts of the garden walk.

If you would like to become involved in the gardens contact us at (850) 983-5216.